


Post-SWAK

by I May Age Regress (shnuffeluv)



Series: Gibbs' Family [41]
Category: NCIS
Genre: Age Play, Age Regression/De-Aging, Episode: s02e22 SWAK, Gen, Hospitals, Non-Sexual Age Play, Sickfic, Tony DiNozzo & Jethro Gibbs Father-Son Relationship, Yogurt is totally a full meal, at the beginning
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-13
Updated: 2017-02-13
Packaged: 2018-09-23 23:53:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,368
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9688688
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shnuffeluv/pseuds/I%20May%20Age%20Regress
Summary: Post-SWAK. Gibbs gets to take Tony home and make sure he's looked after. Their first night back is a little bit of fluff, and a lot of exhaustion.





	

**Author's Note:**

> There's a little bit of hospital stuff at the beginning, just warning you guys. After the first line break they're at Gibbs' house, in case you want to skip over that. I know it might make some people uncomfy, and I don't want it to squick anyone, or worse.  
> This one's unofficially for evie, who gave me the kick in my pants to write this. They don't have an AO3 that I know of, so I can't gift it.

Tony was alive.

That was the only thought running through Gibbs' head as Dr. Pitt explained to him what he'd need to do to take care of Tony until he could live on his own. Tony was alive. After being in that too dark, too blue room for several days, and another week in a regular hospital room, Tony was getting to go home. And Gibbs was going to make sure that nothing else could get to his boy again.

"...And of course, make sure that his head is elevated until you are sure he can breathe fine lying down awake. Don't want him suffocating in his sleep," Dr. Pitt finished. "Any questions, Agent Gibbs?"

Gibbs shook his head. "Nope. Got everything written down," he said, holding up his notepad. "I'll make sure that Tony gets the care he needs, don't worry."

Dr. Pitt scrutinized him. "I'll be honest, Gibbs, I didn't pin you as the one who was going to look after Tony in all of this."

Gibbs shrugged. "What can I say, Doc? I have a funny way of showing my concern."

The man clearly didn't quite believe him, but let Gibbs' answer slide nonetheless. "Do I need to show you to Tony's room?"

Gibbs shook his head. "Probably have the path memorized by now," he chuckled, standing up. "I'll see myself out."

Once alone in the hallway, Gibbs had to stop himself from running to Tony's room. The boy had been appearing more often than the man since the beginning of this whole ordeal, and Gibbs was eager to deliver the good news about the boy's discharge as soon as possible.

The room came into view and Gibbs slowed his pace from a speed-walk to his usual brisk step, not wanting to startle Tony by moving too quickly. The boy had been antsy ever since he'd gotten sick, not that Gibbs blamed him. He walked in and Tony looked over from where he was watching TV with an open grin. He was feeling little, then. "Hey, kiddo!" Gibbs said when he closed the door. "Guess what your doctor just told me?"

Tony furrowed his eyebrows and frowned. "What?" he asked.

"You sure you don't want to guess?" Gibbs asked, sitting on the edge of Tony's bed.

"What?!" Tony asked forcefully, sending himself into a coughing fit in the process.

Gibbs sat him up in bed and waited for Tony's breathing to even out before he continued. "Dr. Pitt said that you get to go home with me today!"

Tony looked at Gibbs in shock, before a grin overtook his features. Tony didn't like hospitals, so getting out was the best news he had probably received in a week. "Really, Papa?" he asked.

Gibbs nodded. "Yes, really, kiddo! All we have to do is sign the last of the papers!"

Tony grinned. "Good. I'm tired of being here."

Gibbs nodded and pulled out the papers Tony needed to sign. Tony. His boy was alive.

"Papa?" Tony asked.

Gibbs blinked and let go of the papers Tony was trying to take from them. The boy was looking at him funny. Gibbs shook himself subtly, forcing himself to stop getting stuck in his head. His boy needed him to be alert today, in case anything went wrong. Now wasn't the time to feel all worried and sentimental. Tony handed the signed papers back to Gibbs and the man stood up. "I'll take these to the nurses' station and then we can get you out of here, kiddo."

Tony nodded and Gibbs left the room, instantly feeling on edge. He felt like if he took his eyes off Tony for even a second, then the boy would disappear from right under his nose; shatter into a thousand pieces that Gibbs could never put back together. He suppressed a shudder and got all the paperwork in order with the nurses, before returning to the room with Tony to get him ready to leave.

The moment couldn't come soon enough.

* * *

At home, Gibbs took a deep breath, taking in the scent of sawdust and coffee and wood polish that he usually took for granted, but was a relief after all the antiseptic. Tony seemed to agree with his sentiment, taking in a long breath of his own once the door was closed, and moved to the couch. Gibbs took Tony's adult clothes and carried them up to the nursery for Tony to change into if he felt the need to be an adult while he was here, which Gibbs doubted would happen for a while.

When Gibbs returned downstairs and walked into the living room, he found Tony dozing on the couch, sitting up. Gibbs tiptoed over and sat down next to Tony, immediately alerting the boy to his presence, which was exactly what Gibbs didn't want. "Didn't mean to wake you," he murmured, reaching a hand out and carding through Tony's hair. "Is it okay if I cuddle you for a while?"

Tony frowned. The words were taking longer to register with the boy, or else he was worried that Gibbs was in trouble. Possibly both, when he finally timidly responded with a question: "Papa 'kay?"

"Papa's okay, kiddo," Gibbs responded, as soft as before. "Papa just needs a little cuddle time, if that's all right with you."

Tony nodded and climbed onto Gibbs, and Gibbs angled himself so he was more or less lying on the couch. Tony was curled in against his chest, and Gibbs wrapped his arms around his boy tight, but not too tight for fear of crushing him. Tony had his ear over Gibbs' heart, a fact which made the muscle metaphorically warm.

Gibbs rubbed a hand over Tony's back, feeling for the gentle rise and fall of Tony's diaphragm. The man hated himself for this; he was supposed to be the rock in this relationship, the one Tony could go to when he was hurt. He was supposed to be able to fix things for his little boy when trouble came. But Gibbs felt so...so _powerless_ when Tony got sick. It was through nothing Gibbs did that DiNozzo managed to pull through. It was luck that Tony could be out of the hospital so quickly. And Gibbs couldn't stop thinking back to Kelly, poor Kelly, and how he hadn't been there for her when she had met the fate she and her mother shared. The guilt at not being there, with nothing he could have done to stop it. He was a father, he was supposed to be able to fix everything. But he couldn't fix this, all he could do was keep himself together for as long as possible when he was needed.

Tony moved his head from Gibbs' chest and looked up at the man. "Papa?" he asked uncertainly. "You...You're not okay?"

Gibbs realized he was crying. "I'm just relieved, kiddo," he rasped. "You had me really scared back there, and I'm just...so happy that you came home okay."

"Sorry for scaring you," Tony said.

"It's not your fault," Gibbs said, running a hand up and down Tony's back again. "How could it be your fault when you're always so curious? No one can fault you for that. I'm just glad, and I need to focus on being glad."

Tony frowned. He reached up and wiped away the tears from Gibbs' face. "Papa once said it's okay to cry if you need to," the boy said. "I don' think you're banned from cryin' if you need it."

Gibbs smiled down at Tony and kissed his forehead. "You needed me to be strong rather than scared, so that's what I was," he explained. "But I can't always be strong, and it hurts when you need me and I can't deliver."

"But Papa did!" Tony protested. Too sharply, it would seem, as he dissolved into a coughing fit. "I needed Papa there. I knew Papa couldn't make the yuck go away. So I just wanted Papa there to help clean up the yuck. And Papa was there. So Papa delivered."

"Tony..." Gibbs murmured, shaking his head. "I don't deserve you."

Tony was starting to drift asleep as he responded, "Tony doesn' deserve Papa."

"You deserve more," Gibbs chuckled as the boy closed his eyes and rested against Gibbs' chest again. "You're too good for me."

Tony hummed in his sleep and Gibbs felt his eyelids grow heavy as well. He wanted to stay awake at least long enough to carry Tony to bed, but even sleeping against Gibbs, he was elevated, so he wasn't in immediate danger. And, Gibbs reasoned, this way he could feel Tony breathing, and remember the boy was alive. He closed his eyes and wrapped his arms around Tony's mid-section, syncing his breathing with the movement coming from on top of him. Gibbs fell asleep and slept easy for the first time since this whole ordeal started.

* * *

Everything was fuzzy around the edges of reality the next time Gibbs woke up. Tony was still on top of him, sleeping soundly, and it was dark outside. Gibbs wondered what woke him up until he heard a faint howling noise coming from the outside. The wind had picked up and it sounded like there was about to be a bad storm. Gibbs sat up as best as he could with a 180-pound boy who was all muscle curled up on him and snuggling him like a teddy bear. "Tony," he murmured. "Tony, I need to get up."

Tony hummed and nuzzled into Gibbs' chest.

"We both need to get up, kiddo, at least for a bit. Growing boys need to eat," he coaxed.

Tony squeezed his eyes shut tight before opening them slowly. "Papa?" he asked.

"I'm here, kiddo. We got to go home today, remember? We both must have taken naps, 'cause it's time for dinner."

Tony looked at Gibbs blankly. Gibbs sat up and moved Tony off his lap and next to him instead. Gibbs realized as he shifted that he really needed to pee. "Hey, kiddo, I have to go to the bathroom, but I'll be back in a minute to get about dinner. Is that okay with you?"

Gibbs got no reply for a few moments, before Tony subtly nodded. Gibbs smiled reassuringly and left to the bathroom quickly, feeling his heart rise in his throat. Tony usually wasn't silent if something wasn't in his mouth. Was something wrong? Was the boy feeling too small to speak? Or was he simply still waking up? He finished his business in the bathroom quickly and walked back to the living room to find Tony watching him. Not saying anything, just...watching. "You okay, kiddo?" Gibbs asked.

Tony blinked once, frowned, and said a single word. "Hungry."

Gibbs nodded. "Well, it is probably dinner time or later. Something light will have to do for tonight, and then tomorrow we can have a big breakfast, sound good?"

Tony nodded.

Gibbs crooked a finger as he walked to the kitchen and considered his situation. Tony was acting a lot like Timmy had when he first joined. Very quiet and subdued, but not in the way that made Gibbs think Tony was under the impression that the wrong move would land him in trouble. It seemed more like Tony wanted to say something, but couldn't quite figure out how.

Tony sat down at the table and continued to watch Gibbs. "Want anything in particular to eat?" he asked.

No reply. Gibbs shook his head and turned to the refrigerator, pulling out two containers of yogurt. This would do for a midnight snack or a light dinner with the promise of a bigger breakfast the next morning. He grabbed two spoons and walked over to the table, opening one container and spooning out a reasonable amount for Tony. "Open," he instructed.

The boy listened and Gibbs put the spoon of yogurt in his mouth, at which point Tony closed his lips around the spoon, tilted his head back until the spoon was out of his mouth but the yogurt was not, and swallowed. Gibbs got another spoonful ready and they repeated the process until the container was gone and Tony was leaning back in his chair, eyes glazed over.

Gibbs ate his own yogurt quickly and threw away both containers, putting the spoons in the sink to be washed tomorrow. Gibbs walked over to Tony and touched him lightly on the shoulder. "C'mon, kiddo. You gotta get up."

Tony looked up at Gibbs, almost hurt. He reached out his arms and made grabby hands, whining.

Gibbs rolled his eyes good naturedly and picked Tony up. "Okay, baby boy, have it your way," he whispered. "You're clearly too tired to do much of anything, tonight."

Tony hummed and rested his head on Gibbs' shoulder. Gibbs walked to the nursery, but felt his heart constrict at the thought of leaving Tony in there. Tony whined like he could hear what Gibbs was thinking. Gibbs kissed Tony's temple. "Tony."

Whine.

"Do you not want to sleep alone tonight?"

A shake of the head.

"Is it okay if I take you to my room?" Gibbs asked. "I'd tuck you in on one side of the bed and I'd sleep on the other, is that okay?"

A nod.

Gibbs nodded too and walked to his room, setting Tony on a corner of the bed before pulling the blanket and sheet back near the top, and lifting Tony to that corner. The boy crawled under the blanket and sheet and Gibbs felt that his part of the bargain for taking care of Tony tonight was fulfilled. Tony had propped himself up on a pillow and was out like a light.

Crawling under the other side of the blankets, Gibbs shifted until he was side-by-side with Tony and could hear the boy breathing. He sighed, stared up at the ceiling, and with the knowledge that his boy was going to be okay and the fact that he could hear if anything was wrong with Tony from a foot away even if he was asleep, drifted off, fully prepared to face the next morning and whatever challenges it may bring.


End file.
